Improvement in feed mechanisms for sewing-machines



T. K. KEITH.` 4Feed Mechanism for Sewing-Machines. No. 196,909. PatentedNov. 6, |877.

MPETERS, PHOI'OMTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITEE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS n. KErTrnoE rrAvEEnrLL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOE To MOSES How, on SAME PLACE,

IMPROVEMENT INVFEED MECHANISM'S FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

^ Y Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 196,909, dated November 6, 18777;' application filed Septmberli, 1811. f

i provements are applied. Fig. 2 represents av front view of a portion of the same. Fig. 3'

represents an end view. Fig. 4 represents a transverse vertical section. Fig. 5 represents a section on line .r x, Fig. 4. Figs. 6 and 7 represent combinations of stitches formed on a sewing-machine provided with my improvements.

This invention is an improvement on a prior invention, for which I obtained Letters Patent dated October 9, 1877, in which a-feed-dog adapted to reciprocatein a horizontal direction the work or material being stitched was combined with the primary feeding device, thus causing the stitch-forming mechanism to produce a series of elongated stitches, which the operator could combine in various ornamental designs by turning the work laterally during the operation, the feed-dog acting as a pivot.

The present invention has for its object to combine with the stitch-forming mechanism of a sewing-machine, and with a suitable primary feeding device adapted to propel the work in a single direction, a secondary feed mechanism, operating substantially as de scribed hereinafter, to reciprocate the secondary feed in a substantially horizontal plane, and

to'raise and lower the same, so that the same" Vmachine can form either its ordinary stitches or the elongated stitches, as described in my first application.

. VIt also has for its obj ect to improve the mechanism for operating the secondary feed-dog, and for attaching it to the sewing-machine.

To these ends'my invention consists, as a whole, in the combination, with the stitchforming and work-feeding mechanism, of a secondary feed-dog mechanism, to reciprocate the same in a substantially horizontal plane, and

f mechanism to raise and lower the same,where by it is adapted to operate interchangeably with the ordinary feed, and, when in operation, to reciprocate the work, instead of propelling it in a single direction, substantially as hereinafter specified. f

Myinvention consists, also, in the means pro vided for attaching the secondary feed-dog to the machine,reciprocating said feed-dog and varying the length of its movement and its nearness of approach to thel needle, and raising andl lowering it to render it operative and inoperative, all of which Iwill now proceed to describe. 'y

In the drawing, 1 represents the bedplate of a sewing-machine having a feeding device for propelling the work in a single direction, 'n the feeding device shown in the present instance ibein g an ordinary four-motioned feeddog,2,connected with and operated by the horizontal drivin g-shaft 3, in the usual manner". a represents my extra or secondary pointed feed-dog, which is adapted to be raisedv and lowered. -When raised, the feed-dog a projects through the bed 1,-above the highest point reached by the feed-dog 2 in its movements, so as to support the work being stitched above the feed-dog 2, and render the latter'inoperative,- and when lowered, the Afeed-dog a is depressed below the feed-dog 2, and becomes inoperative, allowing the latter to operate as usual; The feed-dog a is adaptedto be reciprocated horizontally, sol that when raised it will reciprocate the work while the latter is being stitched, as in my rst invention, above referred to, each motion of the feed-dog a being between two successive withdrawals of the needle from the work.

The secondaryfeed-dog a is supported, re ciprocated, and raised and lowered by the meansv which I will now describe. b represents a bracket, which is detachably connected by screws s, or `otherwisero the under side of the bed l, at one end thereof. The bracket b is provided with a downwardly-projecng portion, which has horizontal dovetail guides or ways b2 b2 and `an opening, b3, through which passes a shaft, c, the latter being journaled in a lug, b4, formed on lthe bracket b, and provided with a cam, 'ck d d d represent a cross-head,which is adapted to be supported and to slide horizontally between the guides b2, the cross-head being so formed as to project'ldowvnwardly on opposite` sides of the cam cjflu all d, represent horizontallyadjustable bloksattache'd to the cross-headd, 'and ar# ranged on opposite sides of the cam c?, in such manner that as the cam revolves it will bear alternately against theblocksidl d2, and thusA reciprocate the cross-head d, the extent` ofthe movement imparted to the cross-head being` determined by the positions of the blocks d1 djasl'will be4 readilyY seen. The :feed-dog ais:

provided with a bent shank, a1,which is located in a vertical slot, d4, in the cross-head,- so asY to partake of the horizontal motion Jofthe latter, and is adapted to be raised and;

lowered in said slot, and is supported at different heights by means of a lever, f, which is pvoted` at f1 to L the cross-head d, :and .is iconnected at f? to the shank al., The lever f 'is pro,- .vided at its ,outer end with alongitudinal slot,f3, through which projects an arm, g, rigidlywattachedto a crank or disk, gl, on a shaft, g2,whi ch is journaledin bearings g3 lr/at one side of the `leed l, and `is provided 'With'a handle or lever, Y

4, byavhich it maybe rotated, andfwith stops g gf', which consist of curved arms rigidly at- ,tached cto., the shaft, and adaptedi, to 4bear lagainst partsofthegbed l, and'` limit the rota 1 tion of the shaft g2 in both directions. NNhen fthetfshaft g2 is-turnedfits arm g-fcauses the,

,lever f to swing up and `.d0Wn,; according -to ,thedireetion in whichV the shaft isturned,

,thus raising]` or lowering the `feed-d0g a.. ,Whenthe feed-dog is. raised, as shown inthe l drawings, the stop gf* abuts against the `bottoniof the ilangeorwall 4 onthe under side `ofthebed `1,,and i prevents the shaft g2 fromj being turned anyv farther in the direction .in which it was turned to .elevate the feed-dog; Vand `Wlienthe shaft is turned. in the opposite 4 (lirection the stop g'f abuts againstfthe side of f the Wallor` iiange Aivhenrthe dog is sufficiently; lowered, and prevents `fiuther rotation of Lthe shaft.- u i j 3 From the foregoing itwill be seen thatm the .rotation of the shaft c. causes the crosshead d .and .feed-dog a to reciprocate horizontally, 4the feed-dog being regulated as to'its .--ap- Vpreach to Vtheneedle and the length ofyitsl` The shaft 'c is' provided with .a ,cog-Wheel, c3, `which m'eshes with and is Arotated by a pinion,c4 located on the shaft 3. When it is desired to. render the, feed-dog@ inoperative,\jtheshaft g2 is turned 4movement by theblocks all dl.

so; aste depress the lever f. J

-VQ-.'lheimovements of the feed-doge .are so; timed f that each movement takes place1 between two 'successive ascents of theneedle, so l that-the Work is moved between `the forma-j ,tionr of each stitch and the one following, land ,thus elongated stitches are formed ,onthesur- ,face of the work, first in one direction and; Vthen `in' the other. f Thefoperator'is enabled, Aby-turning the Work Vat suitable times, to` coin bine the elongated lstitches `so as to form rays,

,ias shwnin Fig.` an sby'depressingthel feeddog a4 at times, the elongated stitches maybe arranged v in groups, connectedlbythe ordinary stitches formed byfeeding the material in theusual manner,asshoyvninTig6. Itisnecessary, in forming the pattern shown` in Fig. 6, that the feed-dog a should be dep pressed only whenit Yisatftheendofitsstroke nearest the needle; and to prevent its depres' sion and also its elevation at other times,l provide the lever f on one side ,with a projection onlugefi, 'an'dthebed `1 witha stationary arm Vor bracket, il, which is provided with a horizontal ange, il, arranged to project under and peventvtheuvertical` movement `ofthe lng .i at all times, excepting when the dog a is nearest the needle, as shown in Figs. l and 4. To adapt the sewing-machine to receive my improvements it is onlyrnecessaryto make `screw-holes in the b ed l fori-the screWs,;1by\vh-ich the. bracket b .and armfil.` are attached randy. a slot for the kdog a to reciprocate in, j and to"` drill a holeinthe endlof the shaft 3Lforthe screw which attaches the pinion ifthcreto Hence the addedparts canbe readily appliedwand removed.. Y f j j Iclaimas my,inventionfm",.` f i n, t 1. lIncolnbination -with.` the .stitch-,forming :mechanism` of a` sewing machine ,j and with the primary feed.. 2,: adapt-ed fe rrepel the work `ina sineleflree'tien, the seeenderylfeedi-fleg "e and fmeehehism, substantially est deseribed, fors reenroeatngthe lettevrill 4SlIbSt-elfltiillly a horizontal plane, and for raising and lower.-` ing the same, whereby the dog, when raised, supersedestheprimary feed and,Y reciprocates the-'werk,i11stead 0f `propelling it in elle .die rection, substantially asand for the purpose speciiedm. i f

2-fee@wereldsealena wand. adjustable blocks dbd, combined-with the Lbracket b, having guidesb?, andthe shaft c, having cam cl, substantiallyas described, The eembinetion of the.. feed2., the eee,- Qndaryreciprocating feededog a, and the-horizontally-sliding elfeesfheed df Carrying anim* oted lever, f, secured to and serving to adjust .the dog vertically and` independently of "the primary feed, as set forth. p y, 4. T11e .emb'` lation of `11elongitudinally and vertically `movable lever` fwand feed-dog `fr with mechanism, substantiallylas described, whereby ithe ,vertical movement ofa the lever is prevented, excepting when the feedvdog e is at the end of itsstrokenearestwthe needle, substantially asY and forthepurposeE specified.

4- i The eembinetienef tlleleverJ f with. shaft y?, Provided with rin gland Steps y gl, Ylille/fleby its rotation is limited and the leverf raised orlOWered, substantiallyasand for the ,purreseSreelfled-V e l .l "i

` ln resume y whereof l have. Signedmy-neme tothis specication in the presence of two. sub- -eerbing witnesses i Y i l f flHelmS` K` KEITH;

Witnesses;

A WILLIAM J. STROHM,X 

